Silvermere Golf Club

Tee time for Trent and Challenger floodlights

Surrey, UK: February 2015

With an 18-hole golf course and a 2-tier 52 bay driving range, Silvermere Golf Club in Surrey is a unique club with a high footfall of club visitors and members. As a former European Tour qualifying golf course, it is well known for being one of the most challenging pay and play courses in the country, so Silvermere Golf Club required lighting to meet the high standard already set by the club and the course. The course itself winds through woodland and parkland, finishing with shots across the lake as the course covers some of Surrey’s finest countryside.

The overall look and finish of the lighting solution was just as important as the standard and quality of lighting on this stunning landscape. In order to light the required areas without being obtrusive to the local area, a combination of 12 Trent floodlights were installed as BERM lighting along with five Challenger 3 floodlights. Both of these are performance floodlights ranges, rated to IP66 and finished in all-weather and corrosion resistant polyester powder coating.

The ground mounted Trent floodlights have galvanised steel stirrups for mounting and aiming, ideal for low level golf course lighting, with 50° flat glass to contain any excess upwards light combined with three possible reflector options to adapt to the terrain. With the varying environment across the 18-holes, this adaptability allows for a combination of reflectors to be used to ensure that the area is effectively lit, avoiding lack of light whether on the fairway or in the rough. This containment and control over lighting direction and spread allows those using the course to play with a high level of visibility and reduced glare, especially in bunkers and on lower ground.

The aesthetic styling of this lantern and smaller body allows the Trent to be mounted on the ground without disrupting the scenery, with 4mm tempered glass increasing the lamps protection from stray golf balls. In a secondary phase at the club, Abacus installed additional Challenger 3 floodlights to further light the course and create an even more balanced lighting environment.

Jeff Hilliard, development director for Silvermere, was especially pleased with the results and experience of working with Abacus - “When rebuilding our golf range, our aim was to create the best. Abacus came recommended as the lighting experts. They understood our hopes and dreams and have helped us every step through planning, delivery and ongoing refinement to deliver those dreams. Since re-opening in May 2014 the new Silvermere range is now the accredited regional or national fitting centre for Ping, Callaway, Taylormade, Titleist, Mizuno, Cobra, Nike, Cleveland, Wilson and Yonex. It would seem the golf industry have also bought into our dreams”.